Meatball Street Brawl rolls back onto West Mohawk Street

West Mohawk Street will be closed Sept. 17 to make room for Buffalo's ultimate test of spherical deliciousness, the Meatball Street Brawl.

Eighteen restaurants will woo eaters, their bids 1-ounce meatballs, usually with sauce. Some restaurants will offer two meatballs, said organizer Nick Pitillo, of Osteria 166.

"We started talking about 2-ounce balls but when you do the math, that's crazy," Pitillo said. Patrons can still put away more than a pound of meatballs, try to secure bragging rights for their favorite flavor, and support local charities.

Votes will be tabulated under the watchful eyes of Dansa & D'Arata, certified public accountants, with the victor announced at halftime of the Bills game. Fans can watch the game on a billboard-sized screen.

To ease last year's congestion, the event will stretch from Franklin Street to Delaware Avenue, Pitillo said.

The event, which opens to the public at 11 a.m., is $15 advance, $20 door, available at the restaurants and meatballstreetbrawl.com. It benefits Meals on Wheels, the Michael Donald Perry St. Francis Scholarship Fund, and Make-A-Wish.